Back in 1994, Michael Jordan surprised the world by announcing his retirement from basketball. He was hot off the heels of his first three-peat and well in the middle of his prime, so the news was a surprise – to say the least. But the Chicago Bulls legend was not done sending shock waves through the sports world. One month later he signed a contract with the Chicago White Sox to play on their Minor League Baseball team, the Birmingham Barons.
The Birmingham Barons are the Double-A affiliate team of the Chicago White Sox. As it is going to be three decades since his baseball career began, His Airness is now releasing new sneakers with the Air Jordan brand to commemorate his time with the Barons.
The Jordan Barons are making a comeback
The sneakers are called the Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Barons.” It spots the team’s colors of white, black, and grey. Although the shoes can be deceiving, with the black and white in the front resembling the J1 Panda’s, the rear of the shoe is grey, along with the Nike Air branding on the tongue, which makes them unique.
The shoe is made of the iconic leather material and is very breathable because of the perforations on the toe box. Although the brand has previously released different versions of the Barons, this is the first time the fans will be getting one in a low top.
According to Sneaker Bar Detroit, the Jordan 1 Low Barons are estimated to be released in July 2024 with a price tag of $140. The shoes depict Michael Jordan’s legacy in the baseball world and his time with the Birmingham Barons.
Michael Jordan’s baseball career
While Jordan’s short stint with the Barons can be deemed unsuccessful at first glance, a detailed look at his output can say otherwise. Mike batted 0.202 with 3 home runs, 51 runs batted in, and 30 stolen bases for the Barons in 1994. While these numbers seem mediocre, the bases he stole were the second most on the team at the time.
Michael Jordan was just a rookie in baseball, so he had a lot to learn. The manager of the Barons at the time, Terry Francona, once revealed that if MJ had played at least three seasons in the league, he could have earned himself a spot on the Major League teams.
